Elastic tire.



A. W. TORKINGTON.

, 1908. l 1,024,042, Patented Apr. 23, 1912..

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' A. W'. TORKINGTON.

- ELASTIC TIRE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 3, 1908.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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WASHINGTON. D

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UNITE F il STATES PAEN Q ALFRED WILLIAM TORKINGTON, OF PURLEY, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR TO TORKINGTON TIRES (PATENT SYNDICATE) LIMITED, 01? LONDON,ENGLAND.

ELASTIC TIRE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED IVILLIAM TORKINGTON, gentleman, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing at Beaumont, Purley Vale, Purley, inthe county of Surrey, England, have invented a certain new and usefulElastic Tire, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elastic tires for the wheels of road vehicles.

In solid rubber tires for motor road vehicles it has been foundimpossible to use a depth of rubber sufficiently great to give thedesired resiliency necessary for running at high speeds,as unless thevertical height of the tire 2'. e. the depth or thickness of rubber inthe tire, is kept within certain proportions (determined to some extentby the quality of the rubber employed), as there is a tendency for thetire to leave the rim or felly of the wheel owing to centrifugal actionand for the vehicle to roll or sway which not only impedes the progressof the vehicle but also tears the tire away from the wheel. Variousdevices have been introduced with a view of overcoming this difficulty.For instance articulated floating rings have been fixed to the sides ofrubber tires by transverse bolt-s passing through the tire as set forthin my application for U. S. Patent filed 16th November, 1907, Serial No.402447 and my present invention relates to improvements upon such lastlymen tioned invention.

According to the present invention, the tire is provided with aninternal circumferential recess in which is located an articulated band,and on each side of the tire are a series of plates which are carried bythe articulated band and which plates though not connected togetherexcept through the central articulated band yet perform the function offlexible floating rings.

In the accompanying drawing which shows by way'of illustration somemethods of carrying this invention into effect :Figure 1 is a View inperspective-partly in section-showing one form of construction. Fig. 2is a view in plan showing an alternative construction of the articulatedband. Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section showing a furthermodification, one of the plates and the nut to hold said plate beingshown in full lines and not in cross section; Fig. 4:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 3, 1908.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 441,905.

is a View in plan showing another form of articulated band, and Fig. 5is a view in side elevation showing a preferential form of the sideplates.

Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters ofreference.

The tire awhich may be made in one or more parts, has a suitably shapedcircumferentially arranged internal recess in which is located anarticulated band of any suitable construction which carries a series ofplates constructed and arranged as described so as to form flexiblefloating rings on each side of the tire.

In the construction shown in Fig. l the tire a is made in two parts, thedivision being circumferentially and vertically arranged, and in themeeting faces of said parts are circumferential grooves adapted when thetwo parts of the tire are brought together to form an internalcircumferential recess. The articulated band is made up of a series oflinks 7), the ends of which are made male and female respectively, andthe pivot bolts 0 of said links are made of a sufficient length to passcompletely through the tire from side to side. On the ends of thesebolts are mounted plates (Z adapted to form the floating rings. Theseplates are of longitudinal form and have ridges d on their inner faceswhich fit in the transverse holes in the tire through which the bolts dpass. The plates also have recesses in their outer faces which areshaped to receive and engage the heads or nuts of the bolts 0 so as toprevent them from turning, similar to the recess shown in the plate d inFig. 3.

Instead of utilizing the bolts a forming the pivots of the hinges of thearticulated band for carrying the plates (Z, the links 6 may havetransverse pins 72 formed on or fixed to them for carrying the plates (Zas shown in Fig. 2, in which construction the hinges of the articulatedband coincide with the spacesbetween the plates (Z forming the floatingrings.

In the construction illustrated by Fig. 4 the articulated band is madeup of a series of plates 6 arranged in pairs which are coupled togetherby links f which engage studs or projections e on the inner faces ofsaid plates. The plates 03 are carried by transverse bolts h each ofwhich passes through a pair of the plates 0 and may be utilized forclamping said pair of plates togetheras shown. The plates (Z arepreferably formed with a small exterior flange d on their upper edgeswhich edges are also preferably curved as shown.

Instead of forming the tire in two parts as shown in Fig. 1 it may bemade wholly or in the main in one piece as shown in Fig. 3 the part ofthe tire lying below the circumferential recess for receiving thearticulated band being either split or slotted so as to provide for theintroduction of the articulated band into the said recess.

Shoulders a are preferably formed on the sides of the tire immediatelyabove the plates (Z forming the articulated bands so as to prevent thesides of the tire being damaged by the said plates.

In the base of the tire e. the 1.)art'lying between the articulated bandand the rim, a series of chambers or recesses a may be provided for thepurpose of increasing the resilience of the tire.

In assembling the tire clamps are applied across it and over the plateson either side. Upon pressure being applied the rubber is squeezed uptransversely sufficiently to al low the nuts to be threaded on to thebolts to the positions at which they are required to remain. The clampsare then taken off and the effect of the rubber springing outward is tocause the nuts to sink into the recesses in. the outer faces of theplates whereupon the nuts and bolts become locked in position andprevented from turning.

It will be understood that the articulated band being substantiallynon-expansible prevents the tire leaving the rim under the forces due tocentrifugal action. The local resiliency of the tire is maintained owingto the articulations in the band. The lateral stability of the tire ismaintained by the clamping together of the socalled floating rings andat the same time the articulations of the tire are fully protected frominjury by wet and dirt.

What I claim is 1. In a solid rubber tire; the combination of aninternal recess in said tire, an endless articulated band located insaid recess and said articulated band formed of a series of links,transverse bolts journaled in said articulated band and each ofsuflicient length to pass completely through the tire from side to sideand extending to the outside of the tire on each side, a series ofoppositely disposed plates arranged. externally on each side of saidsolid rubber tire the adjoining ends of said plates being unconnected,and means to secure said transverse bolts to thereby secure the saidoppositely disposed plates in position, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

2. In a solid rubber tire; the combination of an internalcircumferential recess in said tire, an endless articulated band locatedin said recess and said articulated band formed of a series of links,transverse pivot bolts for connecting the adjoining ends of said linkssaid pivot bolts being of sufficient length to pass completely throughthe tire from side to side and extending to the outside of the tire oneach side, a series of oppositely disposed plates arranged externally oneach side of the said solid rubber tire the adjoining ends of saidplates being unconnected, and means to secure the said transverse boltsto thereby secure the said oppositely disposed plates in position,substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a solid rubber tire the combination of an internal circumferentialrecess in said tire, an endless articulated band located in said recess,a series of oppositely disposed plates located externally on each sideof the said solid rubber tire between the tread and the rim flanges soas to be clear of both and a series of transverse bolts passed from sideto side right through the said articulated band and through the saidexternally located plates substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

4;. In a solid rubber tire the combination of an internalcircumferential recess in said tire, an endless articulated band locatedin said recess, a series of oppositely disposed plates arrangedexternally on each side of the said solid rubber tire the adjoining endsof the plates being unconnected and a series of transverse bolts passedright through the said articulated band and through the said externallylocated plates substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a solid rubber tire the combination of an internal circumferentialrecess in said tire, an endless articulated band located in said recess,a series of oppositely disposed plates carried by said articulated bandand located externally on each side of the said solid rubber tirebetween the tread and the rim flanges so as to be clear of both, and aseries of transverse bolts passed from side to side right through thesaid articulated band and through the said external plates,substantially as and for the purposes de' scribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

ALFRED WILLIAM 'lOltKINGllON.

Witnesses H. Bmxnnox,

H. D. JAMESON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

